Audio, Baldur's Gate 1 Original (OST, VOs, narration and SFX)

Baldur's Gate 1 Sound & Music

Baldur's Gate Soundtrack (OST)

Baldur's Gate music is stereo-sampled in ACM 16 bit 22050 Hz.

For Baldur's Gate 1 Original, a 40 minute Conan-esque score was composed by Michael Hoenig of Germany. There are 20 themes in total. These include the iconic main menu theme (trumpets and drums) along with themes for dungeon crawling, wilderness exploration and urban exploration (strings, woodwind). There are also four jovial tavern themes and more sombre themes for dream sequences and temples; all of these are minimalist but memorable. The dream sequence theme is unforgettable.

Each of the six Dream sequences and Chapter transitions were narrated by Kevin Michael Richardson, who also voiced Sarevok, the campaign's antagonist. KMR also voiced a few infamous announcements such as YOU MUST GATHER YOUR PARTY BEFORE VENTURING FORTH.

Sound Effects

Baldur's Gate sound effects are mono-sampled in PCM 16 bit 22050 Hz. There is also EAX support.

Sound effects are packed into 3,500 wav files. These include battle sounds, ambient sounds and voiced dialogue for NPCs and companions. The spellcasting incantations are far superior to BG2; indeed, to any cRPG.

Each of the 25 Baldur's Gate companions has about 40 wavs that cover their banter, statuses and assignments (e.g warcries), and each and every monster has separate sounds for attacking, getting injured and being killed (deathcries).

When combined with the ambient sounds and OST in the background, the soundscape becomes rich in texture and is at times amusing to listen to. Indeed, it can be very funny.

By far, Baldur's Gate 1 has the best battle sound effects of the Infinity Engine games. The sound of steel-on-steel, warhammer on fullplate or dagger into flesh. The chunking sounds. These are impacting to the ear, and sound better than most current gen RPG Games with budgets ten times higher. A flail is a ball and chain, and sounds like one when we swing it. We can hear the drawing back of a bow. We can hear the chain links of our armor rustling as we move around. It's so well done.

Next up: Baldur's Gate Prologue.

Baldur's Gate 1 Original (Index) | Baldur's Gate 1 Review (Index).